For over 60 years the Rochester Civic Garden Center has been dedicated to serving the community through our mission to improve the quality of life in the Genesee Region by fostering knowledge, providing information, increasing interest and promoting all aspects of gardening and horticulture. Founded in 1945 by members of the Seventh District Federated Garden Clubs of New York State, Inc, we have operated under a New York State Board of Regents educational charter since 1950.

RCGC Programs that your donations help support:

Classes: We offer a wide variety of certificate programs and classes – lectures, on-site demos, workshops – on all aspects of horticulture and floral design. These are available to everyone in the community and are geared towards both novice and experienced gardeners.

Library: We maintain one of the best horticultural libraries in the area, with over 4,500 volumes – everything from rare 19th century books to the most current titles, as well as periodicals, reference materials, pamphlets, and other informational media.

Special Events: We host several special events every year, offering area gardeners unusual opportunities to enrich their garden experience. These ranging from our March symposium which features nationally known authors and specialists, to our summer garden tour with access to the best private gardens in the area, master classes in the fall with regional and national experts, a seed and houseplant swap in January and a plant sale in May featuring local specialty vendors.

 Our Endowment Fund Campaign is gaining momentum!

We'd like to say a big thank you to Ted  Collins, aka Doc Lilac of Lilac Hill Nursery for his generous gift to our  Endowment Fund, given in memory of Alvan Grant, former Superintendent of Parks. We very much appreciate his support and the Men's Garden Club of Rochester in helping us to build this fund.

Our objective  is to ensure a permanently secure financial future for RCGC. This fund provides a receptacle for gifts given in perpetuity, and an income buffer for times of financial shortfalls. Your gift to our Endowment Fund will allow you to make a lasting contribution to the long-term future of RCGC and our education programs and library.

Planned Giving

Are you interested in putting the Rochester Civic Garden Center in your will? Contact Christine Froehlich at rcgccf@frontiernet.net  or 585-473-5130 for more information.

Sustaining Memberships

Become a Sustaining Member with a contribution that is automatically deducted each month. This is an easy and convenient way to support RCGC and enjoy uninterrupted membership status. Visit our Sustaining Membership page for more information.

To donate an amount of your choice through PayPal, click on one of the following "Donate" buttons.

If you prefer, you may send a check, payable to RCGC, or charge by phone or fax (see contact information below) or email gardencenter@frontiernet.net.

Thank you for your support!